Free Republic

Talk about expensive real estate: A House seat can easily cost millions. Every cycle, a few wealthy candidates dig into their deep pockets to fund their own campaigns. This cycle is on track to be no different — except that Republicans dominate the ranks of potentially self-funding congressional candidates. Democrats constituted some of the richest candidates of 2012, including Reps. John Delaney of Maryland, Suzan DelBene of Washington and Scott Peters of California. All three made Roll Call’s 50 Richest list this year. But in 2014, Republicans boast far more self-funders among their recruits — at least nine so far....

The GOP brand stands in profound disrepair because the party oligarchy does virtually nothing to defend it. James Dobson, Ron Paul, Lincoln Chafee, Walter B. Jones, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani all have one thing in common beyond a sometimes tenuous relationship to the GOP. Each individual knows he can flaunt the party at will on issues that party voters care about. Every one of the individuals listed above has taken at least one, if not several, stands that GOP loyalists are totally repulsed by. Virtually nothing has been done to castigate these people for their disrespect for core party...